Ravenpaw's Path
by wangcel
Summary: Before Firepaw arrived at ThunderClan, Ravenkit was a lonely kit who was constantly ridiculed by his Clanmates for his size and shy demeanor. But what the other cats don't know is that Ravenkit has a great path before him, a destiny to fulfill that will potentially save many lives in his Clan. Read to find out!
1. Prologue: Crescent Moon

Leaves fluttered across the sandy clearing. A crescent moon glowed in the sky. Inside a thick bramble bush, a dusky brown she-cat lay panting.

"Almost there, Robinwing," a tortoiseshell soothed.

"Why is it taking so long?" a tabby mewed.

"Look! It's coming!"

Voices filled the nursery like a flock of pigeons. Robinwing panted as a small black bundle rolled onto the moss next to the dark brown one. The tortoiseshell next to her studied the kit, than exclaimed, "A tom!" Cheers erupted around the camp.

A black tom with fur that stood on end purred, "Well done, Robinwing. Two more healthy warriors for ThunderClan." Robinwing purred back and began licking the kit vigorously.

"What will you name them?" the tortoiseshell asked. Robinwing hesitated, then mewed, "Well, Spottedleaf, this dark brown tabby will be… Dustkit! And the little black tom shall be known as Ravenkit."

"They are lovely names," Spottedleaf murmured. Ravenkit began mewing piteously and nuzzled his head into Robinwing's belly. "Poor little mite," Fuzzypelt mused. "I'm afraid he's going to be a shy one!" Spottedleaf then muttered too quietly for any cat to hear, "But he has a great path to follow before him."


	2. Chapter 1: Poor Little Thing

"Wake up, dormouse!"

Ravenkit sat up groggily. Bright sunlight shone through the nursery walls. Robinwing and Brindleface were sharing tongues, while Willowpelt snored gently, her slightly swollen belly rising up and down. Dustkit stood at the entrance to the nursery.

"You've been sleeping like a mouse in leaf-bare! Come on, let's go and play tag!"

Ravenkit shook his head. "I don't want to."

A pale ginger she-kit sauntered in. "What? You've been saying that every day. Just come out and play! Or are you too _scared?_"

"Now, don't be mean, Sandkit!" his sister Brindleface scolded. "Ravenkit just doesn't want to go outside. Now leave him alone."

Sandkit sniffed. "Well, have fun doing _nothing_!" Ravenkit stared after the two kits as they padded out of the den. Heartbeats later he heard paws scuffling against the dirt and the angry hiss of One-Eye. _They're probably messing with the elders. _ Ravenkit sighed.

"Don't worry, dear," Robinwing mewed. "They just wanted to play with you."

"It doesn't feel that way, though," Ravenkit grumbled. "Dustkit just likes teasing me. He's too embarrassed to admit that he's my brother. I wish Fuzzypelt was still here. He always had time to play with me."

Silence greeted the kit's words. After what seemed like ages, Robinwing meowed softly, "Your father is still watching you from StarClan. He would've been very proud of you. "Now," she swept her tail around her son. "Why don't we cuddle, and I'll tell you the story about the time-"

"No thanks," Ravenkit interrupted. "I'll just go and sit in the corner."

As he was sulking away, Ravenkit heard Willowpelt murmur, "Poor little thing. Too scared to go outside." He pretended not to hear and curled up in the corner.


	3. Chapter 2: A New Kit

Ravenkit woke with a start. He looked around. It was well past nightfall. He must've fallen asleep in his little corner. He suddenly realized that there was a pile of feathers around him. A faint scent wreathed around them. _Robinwing. _He reminded himself to thank her in the morning. Though despite the nice bedding, something was wrong. Why had he suddenly woken up? Ravenkit heard a groan. He whipped his head around. A shadow was moving. There was another groan. He peered more closely. Willowpelt! The gray she-cat was on her back, twitching. She panted loudly, her swollen belly heaving. Her kits were coming! The other queens didn't seem to hear the moaning.

"Ravenkit," Willowpelt meowed. "Fetch…Spottedleaf…"

Spottedleaf! Her den was outside. He didn't want to go out there. It was too frightening. There was only one thing to do.

"Spottedleaf!" he yowled. "Come here now! Hurry!"

Brindleface lifted her head. "Wha-?" Her eyes widened when she saw Willowpelt. "Oh, dear!" "What's going on?" Robinwing interrogated.

Dustkit's fur was fluffed up. "Where's the badger? Bring it here, and I'll fight it!"

Commotion spread through the camp like greencough. Spottedleaf rushed in the nursery with Patchpelt on her heels. "Is Willowpelt okay?" he mewed anxiously.

Spottedleaf patted the pregnant she-cat's belly. "She's fine. Bring me some poppy seeds and a thick stick of bark." Patchpelt scurried outside.

"There, there," Spottedleaf soothed. "Breathe deeply. I think the first one's coming."

Patchpelt returned with some tiny black seeds and a stick. "Here you go, my love," he meowed to his mate. Ravenkit winced as Willowpelt let out a high-pitched screech. "It's alright, dear," Robinwing whispered. "There won't be any blood, hopefully." The stick in Willowpelt's jaw began to crumble. Sandkit whimpered. At last, Ravenkit relaxed as a small, wet bundle rolled onto the moss.

"A tom!" Spottedleaf declared. Cheers erupted around the camp.

"Is that it?" Patchpelt asked anxiously. Spottedleaf nodded. "Well done!" Brindleface praised. The tiny gray kit let out a high pitched mew. _Maybe when he's old enough, we can play together! _

"What will you name him?" Robinwing asked.

Willowpelt meowed proudly, "I think Graykit will do. It's nice and simple."

"Graykit! Graykit!" the Clan cheered. Ravenkit joined in.

"There's someone else whom we should praise tonight," Willowpelt meowed. The cheers died out. "Ravenkit, step forward."

Confused, Ravenkit padded to the nursery entrance. Eyes of warriors and apprentices met his. "This young kit was the first to wake up and help me. He called to Spottedleaf even though he was probably scared to death. I think he deserves to be recognized by ThunderClan."

"Ravenkit! Ravenkit!"

Ravenkit turned all around him and saw cats gazing at him proudly; his brother, Robinwing, Fuzzypelt, Spottedleaf, _Bluestar,_ ThunderClan's leader. The blue-gray she-cat met his gaze and dipped her head respectfully. Even Graykit seemed to be cheering him on, mewling continuously. For the first time, Ravenkit felt something like a deep fiery sensation burning through him from the tips of his ears to his tail. He had done something to help his Clan at last.


	4. Chapter 3: An Old Visitor

Two sunrises had passed since Ravenkit's heroic act. The queens and kits were still asleep. _What should I do today? _Ravenkit wondered as he sat up from his bed. Perhaps he should listen to Goldenflower reminisce about how she had gotten her nicked ear. The pale ginger she-cat had moved into the nursery, expecting Runningwind's kits. But Goldenflower was still asleep. Or Ravenkit could help clean out the queens' bedding. Definitely boring, but it seemed to be the only choice left. _Anything other than going _outside_. _He shuddered at the thought.

He lifted his head and found himself face to face with an elderly speckled gray tom with pale blue eyes. The tom opened his mouth to speak and Ravenkit recoiled at the sight of his yellow teeth.

"Smallear?" Ravenkit whimpered. The tom chuckled, and Ravenkit tried not to breathe in the reeking breath.

"No no, son. A good friend of Smallear, but not him. I am Goosefeather."

Silence filled the air. Ravenkit thought his best two choices were to either scare away this Goosewhatsit, or to wake the others. But what good was it to get the others tangled in this mess, too? He had no choice. The black kit raised his tiny paws and unsheathed thorn-sharp claws.

Goosefeather's eyes widened. "Now, you wouldn't _dare _hurt Bluestar's kin, would you?" Ravenkit lowered his paw.

"Y-you're Bluestar's kin?"

Goosefeather purred, "Yes, of course. I was her mother, Moonflower's, brother. I was also the medicine cat of ThunderClan many seasons ago, when Bluestar was still a kit."

Ravenkit gazed in awe at Goosefeather. This wasn't a dirty, mange-pelt he was talking to. This was once ThunderClan's wise and noble medicine cat! _And Bluestar's kin! _Ravenkit thought. "

Dustkit!" he called. "Wake up and come meet Goosefeather, ThunderClan's former medicine-"

His voice was muffled as Goosefeather's tail slapped across his mouth.

"Shhh, son. No need to wake the others. StarClan sent me down here so I could talk to you and to you only."

"You're a StarClan cat!" Ravenkit was bouncing on the tips of his toes now. Of course! Did he think Goosefeather would still be alive by now?

"Now," Goosefeather continued, "why don't we go outside into the open and talk a little bit."

Ravenkit stopped dead. "Um, you can go ahead! I'll just stay in here and, uh, listen while you talk outside!"

Goosefeather cocked his head to one side, then quietly meowed, "Do you ever ask yourself why you never come outside?"

Ravenkit knew why. "Because it's so dangerous! What if there's foxes, or badgers? Or-" he shivered "-ShadowClan warriors?"

The StarClan cat snorted, "What do you think warriors are for, then? Don't you think they'd protect you?"

Ravenkit gave up. "Yes, yes, I know!" he squeaked. "I just don't want to go outside because sooner or later, they'll make me an apprentice, and I'll be a warrior, and I'll have to fight bigger warriors! I don't want to hurt them! What if I get killed?" Words tumbled out of Ravenkit's mouth. He paused, gasping for breath. "If I stay in here, everyone will forget about me, and Bluestar won't ever make me an apprentice to start with!"

Goosefeather nodded. "I see. So you want to spend the rest of your life cleaning out the queens' ticks and beddings?"

No! That was the last thing Ravenkit wanted to do.

"You now see what a boring life staying inside." Goosefeather meowed. "You have a great destiny, and you can only fulfill it by taking your first step outside. ThunderClan needs you, Ravenkit. This is the start of your path, your great path. Follow it, and remember that your ancestors are watching over you always…"


End file.
